Kirby Smart, Kalen DeBoer Headline 2024 Paul Bryant CFB Coach of the Year Watch List

The Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards 2024 Coach of the Year watch list was unveiled on Wednesday with a pair of SEC head coaches leading the way.

Longtime Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Alabama first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer were among those who will be vying for the award at the end of the year.

According to a release, the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award "recognizes contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life—both on and off the field."

Smart and DeBoer already met this year when the Bulldogs visited the Crimson Tide in Week 4, which was DeBoer's SEC debut. In his first meeting against the conference powerhouse after replacing legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban, DeBoer helped lead the team to a thrilling 41-34 victory to hand Georgia its first regular-season loss since the 2020 campaign.

Still, Smart helped the Bulldogs bounce back with victories over Auburn and Mississippi State. He could further solidify his case for Coach of the Year if No. 5 Georgia has a strong performance in a marquee matchup against No. 1 Texas on Saturday. He will face a fellow member of the watchlist in Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Other notables on the watch list include Oregon's Dan Lanning, who's led the Ducks to a 6-0 start in its first year in the Big Ten following a dramatic win over Ohio State this past Saturday, and Miami's Mario Cristobal, who's led the Hurricanes to a 6-0 start for the first time since 2017.

The winners of the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards will be revealed during a ceremony in Houston on Jan. 22. In addition to Coach of the Year, awards will be presented to Conference Coach of the Year from each of the Power Four conferences and one from the combined Group of Five conferences, the Pac-12 and independent teams.